Vans RV12 has a high VR failure rate compared to many others. I'm pretty sure it is an installation issue, but everyone just wants to throw a different brand of VR at the problem on not diagnose the real issue. With all the failures reported on their website I would have thought Vans would have taken this on. They only thing ever changed was where it was mounted in a high heat area to inside the cockpit.
I've never heard Vans once say they were looking at all possibilities other than the location change.
Roger Lee LSRM-A & Rotax Instructor & Rotax IRC Tucson, AZ Ryan Airfield (KRYN) 520-349-7056 Cell
My Ducati installation has none of the issues listed: It is not upside down, no sign of corrosion on the terminals after failure, excellent grounding, no disssimular metals, mounted behind the panel in the cockpit. I have personal knowledge of others with failures without these installation problems. I am well aware that poor installation makes the failure rate go up, but proper installation does not even get you close to a trouble free system. Yes, I still believe it is a piece of junk that has no business in an aircraft.
A friend of mine has been trying for a year to get one of those SH units out of Europe but no luck so far. I guess he doesn't know anyone in Norway. A little black market pipeline opportunity exists here for someone.
James, as I am currently planning to use the generator to power the primary pump on a 914, I am curious to learn more about your regulator failure. Specifically, what is the normal electrical load, what is your typical flight duration, and what is your typical ambient air temperature around the regulator? If you haven't seen this, you might be interested: Ducati Regulator Study It seems to suggest that having air moving across the regulator (as with a small computer fan for example) is the only way to keep it from overheating (at high wattage outputs).
I agree with Roger and Ken keep it dry and provide cooling air. My regulator is going on 7 years without a problem. I also practice electrical power management to avoid overloading the regulator.
My regulator is mounted high on the hot side of the firewall and lasted 9-1/2 years with no issues, until it began to require more and more rpm before beginning charge.
Today is our Highlanders' 10th birthday with 880 hours TTAE.
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